Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Sunset at Biscayne National Park
Location	Miami-Dade County, Florida
Nearest city	Homestead
Coordinates	25°39′0″N 80°5′0″W
Area	172,971 acres (69,999 ha)
Established	June 28, 1980
Visitors	476,077 (in 2011)
Governing body	National Park Service

Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. In addition, the shore of the bay is the location of an extensive mangrove forest. The park covers 172,971 acres (69,999 ha).

Elliott Key, the park's largest island, is considered the first of the true Florida Keys being formed from fossilized coral reef, i.e. Key Largo limestone. The islands farther north in the park are transitional islands of coral and sand.

History

The earliest European contact occurred when Spanish explorers found the 35-mile-long lagoon in the 16th century, but the first permanent European settlers in the Miami area did not come until the early 19th century. While a few residents lived in the area, the area remained mostly unaffected by humans until more recent years.

As modern communities continued growing in and around Miami, developers looked to South Dade for new projects. In 1961, 13 area landowners voted unanimously to create the City of Islandia on Elliott Key. But without a causeway to the island, holding elections was difficult. There was no infrastructure, and registered voters had to take a boat to vote on the island, along with another boat that carried a 1,000 pound voting machine. The Elliott Key dock would not support the machine, so a derrick was obtained to swing the machine onto the island.

Plans for Seadade, a major industrial seaport, were announced in 1962. SeaDade, supported by billionaire shipping magnate Daniel K. Ludwig, would have located an oil refinery on the bay. In addition to the physical structures, it would have been necessary to dredge a 40-foot-deep channel through the bay for large ships to access the refinery. The channel would have also required cutting through the coral reef to get to the deep water.

Many locals supported SeaDade because it would have created additional jobs, but a group of early environmentalists thought the costs were too high. They fought against development of the bay and formed the Safe Progress Association. They had a different plan to halt development; to create a national park covered by water, protecting not only the islands but the bay to the west and the reef to the east as well.

Islandia, supported by land owners, would have connected the northern Florida Keys - from Key Biscayne to Key Largo – with bridges and created new islands using the fill from the SeaDade channel. Although Ludwig backed out due to the tide of opposition, Islandia’s supporters did not give up as easily. In 1968, when it appeared the area was about to become a national monument, Islandia supporters bulldozed a highway six-lanes wide right down the center of the island, destroying the forest for seven miles. Islandia officials called it Elliott Key Boulevard, but called it Spite Highway privately. It was hoped that since there was so much environmental damage, no one would want it for a national monument. Park proponents were not deterred. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill on October 18, 1968.

Before long, the forest grew back. Today, the only significant hiking trail on Elliott Key follows the path of Elliott Key Boulevard. Twelve years after President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill creating Biscayne National Monument, the boundaries were expanded and the area was redesignated a national park.

Islandia never became a city, but it still exists today, but only on paper. There is no functioning government, and only the Miami-Dade County Commission can "de-corporate" a city, and that has yet to happen.

Attractions

Park boundaries shown on satellite image

The major attraction of the park is fishing the inshore and offshore waters. Scuba diving or snorkeling on the coral reef ecosystems that are found east of the barrier islands is also a very popular attraction. Other attractions include: canoeing, kayaking, sailing, or cruising the expanse of open waters within the park and camping on Elliot Key or Boca Chita. Limited services are offered by the Park's concessionaire, so the majority of visitors enter the Park via Black Point or Bayfront boat ramps and explore the area on their own private boats.

Flora and fauna

On April 30 and May 1, the park completed an 'All Taxa, 24-hr BioBlitz'. During this event, 810 species were identified.

Animal Checklist

Lifeforms	BioBlitz Found	Common Lifeforms
Mammals	0	3
Birds	0	13
Fish	0	13
Reptile	0	3
Turtle	0	3
Insect	0	5
Arachnid	0	1
Marine Invertebrates	0	10
Plants (trees)	0	19

Invasive species The national park has confirmed the presence of the lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) within the park. Park divers were able to capture one recently. The lionfish is a tropical species from the Indian-Pacific Ocean area. It is known for its voracious appetite and its ability to establish itself in new waters, rapidly replacing other species. It is believed that the introduction of this species occurred during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Sightings in Biscayne Bay at that time, traced the fish back to home aquariums that were destroyed during the Hurricane.

Gallery

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  Most of the park is water

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  The ornamental lighthouse at Boca Chita Key

See also

• Oleta River State Park

External links

• Biscayne National Park (official website)
• Florida Keys Tourism Board